Budget Transfer: Central Contingency Funding for Prince's Trust

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 11 November 2013:

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2013-0021
Decision Summary Title:	Central Contingency funding allocation to Education, Sport and Culture for the Prince’s Trust		Date of Decision Summary:	23rd October 2013
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Manager		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Central Contingency funding allocation to Education, Sport and Culture for the Prince’s Trust		Date of Written Report:	23rd October 2013
Written Report Author:	Finance Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Central Contingency (one-off) funding allocation to Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) to support the expansion of Prince’s Trust activities in Jersey.
Decision(s): The Minister for ESC requested that the Minister for Treasury and Resources (T&R) approve a budget transfer from Central Contingency (one-off) to the ESC revenue head of expenditure of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 to support the expansion of the Prince’s Trust. Similar funding for 2016 will be requested as a growth bid from the next Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). The Minister for T&R further decided to set aside an additional £84,000 in 2014 and 2015 from Central Contingency (one-off) which could be transferred to ESC to support departments in back filling secondees. The budget transfer for these funds will be actioned upon approval by the Treasurer of the States by delegated decision. Similar funding for 2016 will be requested as a growth bid from the next MTFP
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorized to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure to heads of expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year. The expansion of the Prince’s Trust was presented to the Council of Ministers in a meeting on 18th September 2013 by Mark Capern (Head of the Jersey Youth Service) and Rob Butcher (Operational Manager Prince’s Trust UK) and requires funding over and above that available to ESC in the MTFP 2013-15 to deliver on all aspects of the new Strategy.
Resource Implications: The ESC revenue head of expenditure will increase by £146,679 in 2014 and £145,929 in 2015 with Central Contingency (one-off) decreasing by an identical amount in the corresponding years. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2014 and 2015. In addition an increase of 2.5 FTE will be required resulting in extra headcount of 3. The scheme also relies on secondees being available from other departments to help run the courses at an annual cost of £84,000; with this still being the subject of inter-departmental discussions. Depending on the outcome of these discussions a further allocation of £84,000 in 2014 and 2015 may be required from Central Contingency (one-off). The budget transfer for these additional funds will be actioned upon approval by the Treasurer of the States by delegated decision. Any required growth bids once submitted by ESC for the continued funding of this expansion beyond 2015 will be considered in the next MTFP period 2016 to 2019.
Action required: The Minister for ESC to seek approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources in accordance with Financial Direction 4.3 – Contingency Allocations to heads of expenditure, for the above described budget transfer.
Signature:		Position: Deputy Patrick Ryan Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Budget Transfer: Central Contingency Funding for Prince's Trust

Education, Sport and Culture

Ministerial Decision Report

Central Contingency Funding allocation to Education, Sport and Culture for the expansion of the Prince’s Trust

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) to request that the Minister for Treasury and Resources (T&R) approve a budget transfer from Central Contingency (one-off) funding to ESC revenue head of expenditure of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 for the expansion of the Prince’s Trust, and request the inclusion of £146,000 as a growth bid for 2016 in the next Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

Background

There are 480 16 – 24 year olds registered as unemployed in Jersey. The Prince’s Trust has been operational in Jersey since 2006 and through its delivery partner the Jersey Youth Service will support 208 young people in Jersey in 2013. The Prince’s Trust currently receive approximately £300,000 from a mixture of public and private sector sources to provide this support to young people in Jersey. £110,000 of this is from the States of Jersey, either as gift in kind of financial contribution, the remainder is received from the private sector. A Jersey steering group chaired by the Chief Probation Officer consisting of public and private sector stakeholders provides local governance for the Trust’s activities in the island.

Outcomes from Prince’s Trust programmes are positive with 86% of last year’s cohort moving into employment, further training or regular volunteering. 59% moved directly into work. 7 out of 9 young people placed with Sandpiper last year on a “Get into Retail” programme were offered employment by the company with the 2 others proceeding into Higher Education and a further training placement with Sandpiper. These results should be seen in the context of the Prince’s Trust recruitment criteria which require applicants to be unemployed, care leavers or young offenders. The Prince’s Trust “brand” is known and trusted by young people and employers.

The Prince’s Trust believes that it can benefit additional unemployed young people, complementing the services provided by the Social Security Department.

Recommendation

The Minister for ESC is recommended to request that the Minister for T&R approve a budget transfer from Central Contingency (one-off) funding to the ESC revenue head of expenditure of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 for the expansion of the Prince’s Trust..

The Minister for ESC is further recommended to request that the Minister for T&R to further allocate an additional £84,000 in 2014 and 2015 from Central Contingency (one-off) which could be transferred to ESC to support departments in back filling secondees.

The Minister is recommended to submit any required growth bids by ESC for the continued funding of the expansion of the Princes Trust beyond 2015 to be considered in the next MTFP period 2016 to 2019.

Reasons for Decision

Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorized to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure to heads of expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.

The expansion of the Prince’s Trust was presented to the Council of Ministers in a meeting on 18th September 2013 by Mark Capern (Head of the Jersey Youth Service) and Rob Butcher (Operational Manager Princes Trust UK) and requires funding over and above that available to ESC in the MTFP 2013-15 to deliver on all aspects of the new Strategy.

Resource Implications

The ESC revenue head of expenditure will increase by £146,679 in 2014 and £145,929 in 2015 with Central Contingency (one-off) decreasing by an identical amount in the corresponding years. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2014 and 2015. In addition an increase of 2.5 FTE will be required resulting in extra headcount of 3.

The scheme also relies on secondees being available from other departments to help run the courses at an annual cost of £84,000; with this still being the subject of inter-departmental discussions.

Depending on the outcome of these discussions a further allocation of £84,000 in 2014, and 2015 may be required from Central Contingency (one-off). The budget transfer for these additional funds will be actioned upon approval by the Treasurer of the States by delegated decision.

Any required growth bids once submitted by ESC for the continued funding of the expansion of the Prince’s Trust beyond 2015 will be considered in the next MTFP period 2016 to 2019.

Report author: Finance Manager	Document date : 23 October 2013
Quality Assurance / Review:	File name and path:
	File name and path: